Piano-player.



Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

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PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 10, 1910.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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FRED J. HILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PIANO-PLAYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed December 10, 1910. Serial No. 596,570.

piano players, and has for one object to pro.

vide a new and improved means for holding the record in proper register with the tracker. range.

It is illustrated diagrammatically in one fcrm in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n Figure 1 is a side elevation in part section; Fig. 2, a section along the line 22 Y of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section along the line the panel A 3-3 of Fi 2; Fig. 4, a section along the line4-4 0 Fig. 2; Fig. 5,-a front elevation of the tracker plate; Fig. 6, a front elevation of the tracker range with the tracker plate removed.

Like parts are indicated by like letters throughout the several figures.

The shelf A carries the parallel uprights A which are connected along one side by The shaft B is rotatably mounted in the uprights A and carries the roller B upon which may be wound the record strip B having the playing slots or perforations B therein, andwhich is wound at the other end upon the roller B removably journaled upon the shaftsB, Bfithe shaft B bein "slidably mounted within the sleeve B an held against the end of the roller B by any'suitable spring or other mechanism. The hollow tracker range 0 is located between the rollers B and B and carried upon the casing C which is mounted upon the panel A and is provided with the tracker plate C slidably mountedthereon, upon which the record B rides as-it travels between the rollers. The hollow tracker range G contains the parallel-sided inclined openi'n s or slots-C communicating with the ducts 5 in the casing C which lead to the primary pneumatics not shown. The tracker plate C is provided with the circular perforations C each in register with one of, the slots C. The tracker plate C is guided by the" screws either end and, held against the tracker range'by'means of the springs D The rods or buttons D? which project upwardly in the nclined slots 1) at through the inclined slots D in either-end of the tracker plate, are so located that the distance between their opposed sides is substantially equal to the width of the record B are provided with the curved ends D extending slightly above the surface of the tracker plate and are pivotally mounted at either-end upon the lever D which carries at its other end'the valve D in opposition to the tube D The spring D in opposition to the lever D, is adapted to hold the valve D in the closed' position. The tubes D lead each to one of the primary pneumatics E located within the vacuum chamber E and which carry-the valves E in the passages E in opposition to the ports E", E to control the operation of the motor pneumatics E. The tube E leads from the vacuum chamber E to any suitable vacuum pump not shown. The motor pneumatics E are provided each with the downwardly extending lug F having the perforation F through which passes the rod F 'carrying the adjustable stops F each in opposition to one of the lugs F and the adjustable stops F 5 in opposition to the sp'ringF. The bell crank lever F which is pivotally mounted upon the shelf A, is. in pivotal: connection at one end with the rod F and'at the other end with the rod F carrying the rack F The shaft G which is pivotally mounted at either end in the uprights A carries at one end the pinion G In engagement with the rack "F and thepinions G in engagement with the racks (5: having teeth substantially longer than the width of the teeth of the pinion, and located upon the under side and "-'near either end ofthe tracker plate G I y It will be evidentthat while I have shown in my drawings an operative device still many changes might be made in size, shape and arrangements of the parts without deare as follows :i When the player is operated and the record strip passes across the tracker range, any transverse'motion of the strip will bringit over the buttons or pegs projecting above the surface of the tracker plate and the pressure of the air upon the strlps will cause it to depress these buttons, thus operating through the usual train of primary and motor pneumatics a shaft located within the tracker range. The rotation of this shaft operates by means of pinions engaging racks on the tracker plate to move the tracker plate along the tracker range in a direction parallel with the motion of the strip. The fixed guide screws engaging the inclined slots in the tracker plate, however, compel the plate to move in a direction parallel with the inclined slots, that is, in a direction at an angle to the direction of the record. The result of this is that the tracker plate follows the record so that at all times the holes within the tracker plate are in proper register with the slots or perforations in the record, "but since the slots in the tracker plate are parallel with the inclined slots in the tracker range, the holes in the tracker plate will be at all times in register with the proper slots in the tracker range, and thus the displacement of the tracker plate will not affect in any way the operation of the instrument. The spring in connection with the rod which is operated by the motor pneumatics tends normally to hold them in the central position and thus retains the tracker plate in its central position on the tracker range. I elai1n:--

1. A player piano having a tracker plate and automatic means for diagonally moving it, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

3. 'A player piano having a tracker range and a tracker plate and means for moving it in a path inclined to its longitudinal axis thereon, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

4. A player piano having a tracker range, a tracker plate thereon, and means for automatically, diagonally moving it, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

5. A player piano having a fixed tracker range and a tracker plate and means for sliding it diagonally thereon, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

6. A player piano having .a fixed tracker range, a tracker plate slidably mounted thereon and means for bodily displacing said tracker plate only in a path inclined to the direction of movement of a record traveling thereacross, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

7 A player piano having a fixed tracker range, a tracker plate slidably mounted thereon, and means operating in. a direction parallel with the movement of a record in winding from the music roll to the take-up roll during playing and intermittently operative in response to the position of the record in its longitudinal movements with relation to thetracker range when deflected from its normal or tracking position for moving the tracker plate in a path inclined to the line of movement of a record traveling thereacross, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

8. A player piano having a fixed tracker range, a tracker plate slidably mounted thereon, and means operating in a direction parallel with the movement of a record in winding from the music roll to the take-up roll during playing and operative in response to the downward pressure of the record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for moving the tracker plate in a path inclined to the line of movement of a record traveling thereacross, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

9. A player piano having a fixed tracker range, a tracker plate slidably mounted thereon, and means operating in a direction parallel with the movement of a record in winding from the music roll to the takeup roll during playing, and operative in response to the downward pressure of the record when deflected" from its normal or tracking position for moving the tracker plate in a path inclined. to the line of movement of the record, said means operative intermittently in'response to the position of a record traveling thereacross, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

10. The combination with a player piano having a tracker range and tracker plate located on the working face thereof, of means for moving the tracker plate obliquely thereon in response to the change in position of a record in its longitudinal movements with relation to the tracker range when doflected from its normal or tracking position and means for retaining the tracker plate at all times in register with the tracker range, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet. said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

11. In a player piano a range, slots therein at an angle with the direction of motion of a record and a perforate tracker plate interposed between said range and a record traveling thereacross, means for keeping the perforations in said tracker plate always in register with the slots in the tracker range, 1.

said tracker plate being at all times in con tact with the note sheet.

12. In a player piano a mouth piece, slots therein at an angle with the direction of motion of a record and a perforate tracker plate interposed between said mouth piece and a record, means for moving said tracker plate in a direction parallel with said slots, means for keeping the perforations in said tracker plate always in register with the slots in the tracker range, said tracker plate being at all. times in contact with the note sheet.

13. The combination with a piano player, of a record, a tracker range and a tracker plate and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining it in proper register with said plate, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided-with registering note ducts.

14. The combination with a piano player of a tracker range and a tracker plate slidable thereon, and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining it in proper register with said plate, said means including buttons over which the record may ride, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

15. The combination with a piano player of a record, a tracker range and a tracker plate slidable thereon, and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining it in proper register with said plate, said means including buttons on either side of the record over which it may ride, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet, said range and plate being provided with registering note ducts.

16. The combination with a piano player of means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining the record in proper register with said range, said means including a movable tracker plate slidable thereon, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

17. The combination with a piano player of a tracker range and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining it in proper register with said range, said means containing a movable tracker plate, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

18. The combination with a piano player of a slotted tracker range, said slots being inclined to the path of the record, and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position and including a movable perforated tracker plate, for holding the perforations therein in register with said slots for retaining the record in proper register with the range, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

19. The combination with a piano player of slotted tracker range, said slots being inclined to the path of a record, and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position, and including a movable perforated tracker plate, for holding the perforations therein in register with said slots for retaining the record in proper register with the range, said tracker plate movable in a direction parallel with the slots, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

20. The combination with a piano player of slotted tracker range, said slots being inclined to the path, and, means responsive to the downward pressure of the record when deflected from its normal or tracking position and including a movable perforated tracker plate, for holding the perforations therein in register with said slots for re taining the record in proper register with the range, and means operating in a direction parallel with the path of the record in winding from the music roll to the takeup roll during playing for moving the tracker plate in a direction parallel with the slots, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

21. The combination with a piano player of tracker range and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position and comprising a movable tracker plate, for moving the plate, and upwardly projecting buttons over which the record rides when deflected from its normal path between the music and the take-up roll to control said moving means, and means for retaining the record in proper register with the range, said tracker plate being t all times in contact with the note sheet.

22. The combination with a piano player of tracker range and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining it in proper register with said range, said means comprising a movable tracker plate upon said tracker range, and upwardly projecting buttons over which the record rides when deflected from its normal path between the music and the take-up roll, and means responsive to said buttons for operating said plate, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

23. The combination with a piano player of tracker range and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining it in proper register with said range, said means including a movable tracker plate, and means for moving said plate in a direction parallel with the movement of the record, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet. 24:. The combination with a piano player of a tracker range and means responsive to the downward pressure of a record when deflected from its normal or tracking position for retaining the record in proper register with the range, said means comprising a movable tracker plate at all times in contact with the note sheet and means operating in a direction parallel with the movement' of the record for giving the plate a diagonal motion.

25. A piano player having a movable tracker plate and means for automatically simultaneously moving said plate trans- 'versely and longitudinally, said tracker "plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

26. A piano player having a movable tracker plate, guides therefor and means for moving said plate transversely against said guides to give it a longitudinal movement, said tracker plate being at all times in contact with the note sheet.

27. In a player piano a tracker range, slots therein at an angle with the direction of motion of a record and a perforate tracker plate interposed between said range and the record, said tracker plate movable only in a path inclined to the direction of movement of the record, said trackerplate being at all times in contact with the note sheet the range and the plate being provided with registering .note ducts.

FRED J. HILL.

Witnesses FRANCIS W. PARKER, Jr. SOPHIE B. WERNER. 

